Back from a successful Australian campaign where he won the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes and ran Winx to two lengths in the WS Cox Plate, Godolphin's Benbatl gave a 5-length hiding to the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes runner-up King Of Comedy in Friday's Group II Shadwell Joel Stakes (1m) at Newmarket.
A Group 1 winner on three continents in 2018 following his success in the Dubai Turf at Meydan in March, the Grosser Dallmayr Preis in Germany in July and the Ladbrokes (Caulfield) Stakes in Australia in October, Benbatl took up the running under Oisin Murphy when nothing wanted to lead.
It was a procession from there on in for the Saeed bin Suroor-trained 5yo son of Dubawi. King Of Comedy (Kingman) under Frankie Dettori was five lengths adrift with Sir Michael Stoute's Zaaki (Leroidesanimaux) a further length and a quarter back in third. (image Sporting Life
"In the mornings he has been working really well - he showed his class in his last piece of work on the watered gallop, bin Suroor told Sporting Life.
"It was a hard season for him last year and he ran in many races, starting in Dubai. We talked to Sheikh Mohammed and decided to give him a break to start him at this time of year.
"We will keep the options open and I want to speak to the boss.
"We will be looking at Group One races for him and we could take him to Ascot for the QEII or the Champion Stakes and there is also a race for him in Germany. After that I want to take him back to Dubai and run him in the big races there.
"He is a solid horse that has always tried really hard. Talking to Oisin he said he would have no problem being kept at a mile or going back to a mile and a quarter, but he showed plenty of speed.
"It was very important (to get him back on track). In the stable there is always a star and he is one of them. He is a Group One winner in the past and we are looking to keep him happy and healthy for the future."
A 5yo entire by champion sire Dubawi, Benbatl advances his record to 8 wins, 3 seconds and 1 third from 17 starts.
He is the best of two winner's out of the Selkirk mare Nahrain who was honoured as Champion 3YO Filly in GB in 2011 (Long).
The winner of the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera and Grade 1 Flower Bowl Stakes, Nahrain is a daughter of the equally talented Bahr (Generous) whose four wins included the Group II Ribblesdale Stakes while she placed in the Epsom Oaks, Flower Bowl H. and Irish Oaks.
Bahr is a granddaughter of one of the greats on New Zealand Racing, the Copenhagen II mare La Mer who dominated stakes races like few others in the mid to late 1970's.
Her 20 stakes wins included the New Zealand Oaks and Air New Zealand Stakes.
